


Safe

by stevesherdaddynow



Series: Promises, Promises [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Hospitals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 13:19:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevesherdaddynow/pseuds/stevesherdaddynow
Summary: The kids come to visit the Reader, and Hopper returns with some answers and a plan.





	Safe

True to Hopper’s promise, Joyce and the kids do stop by later that night; by the time they get there, Robin and Nancy have left to study for a test they have tomorrow. Steve and Jonathan stayed behind - Jonathan, since he knew his mom was coming by, and Steve because, well, you couldn’t pry him away from your side if you’d wanted to, which…you definitely didn’t.

Jonathan had been watching from the window for his mom to arrive so he could help them all find your room. In the few minutes he’s gone, Steve stands up and half-climbs onto the bed next to you. You turn onto your side so you’re facing him and raise your eyebrows at him. “What’s up?” you ask.

Steve reaches out and gently tucks your hair behind your ear before cupping your cheek. “You sure you’re okay? I mean, other than fucking up your ribs again.”

You smile softly, and are again overwhelmed by how loved you feel. “Yeah, Steve,” you assure him, reaching up and brushing your knuckles across his cheek. “I’m okay. As long as I’ve got you and the rest of the hit squad, I’ll always be okay.”

Steve’s eyes search yours for another few seconds, and you suppose he must be satisfied with what he finds because he leans in and kisses you gently. When he pulls away, he’s smiling, and he leans up to kiss your forehead, too. “I don’t mean to worry so much,” he whispers. “I just…”

Whatever he was about to say gets cut off by the door flinging open to reveal the kids trotting in with armfuls of stuff, not a single one of them deterred by yours and Steve’s current positions. To his credit, he just laughs and kisses the tip of your nose before getting off the bed. “What the hell is all this, guys? You know she’s only here for one night, right?”

Joyce brings up the rear of the group and rolls her eyes at Steve. “I tried to tell them, but Will had an idea and I really didn’t have the heart to tell him no.”

Questioningly, you turn toward Will. “Okay, kid, spill. What was your brilliant idea?”

Will grins and holds a small, rattling box out to you, which you open to find is full of dice. “I put together a new campaign for us. I thought we could start it tonight so you can think about that instead of everything else.”

He’s so earnest it almost makes your heart ache, and you can’t help but smile and reach out to ruffle his hair. “That _is_ a brilliant plan, Will. Thanks.” He preens, and the rest of the kids run into the hall to grab more chairs and rollaway tables.

* * *

It’s well past the kids’ bedtimes before the campaign finishes, but Joyce assures you she cleared it with all of their parents first and nobody is going to get in trouble for staying, so you stop shooting furtive glances at the clock. Before you know it, the campaign is wrapped up, and the kids are all pulling their coats on. You almost wish they could all stay, but then you realize if you let anyone know you felt that way Jonathan and Steve really _would_ go take out some of their anger on Carol and Tommy, so you just smile at them all and return each individual hug. Eleven stays behind, and Joyce explains Hopper said he’d come pick her up from here when he was done at the office; Steve also remains, promising Joyce he’ll make sure you and El get some sleep if it gets to be too late.

Eleven climbs up into the bed with you and summons her backpack to her side; she unzips it and pulls something lumpy out. With a choked laugh, you realize it’s Hopper’s jacket that you had worn from the moment you escaped Billy to the day he was convicted. Eleven drapes it over your shoulder and then pats it, looking you in the eyes. “Safe,” she says, curling up at your side and worming her way under your arm, throwing hers around your abdomen.

Eyes shining with unshed tears, you look at Steve, who’s smiling fondly at the two of you, and you nod. “Safe,” you repeat. “Thanks, El.”

* * *

You and Eleven must have fallen asleep, because the next thing you know, the lights in the room are dimmed, and Steve is sitting in the corner whispering with Hopper. Careful not to rouse her, you move Eleven off of your arm that’s gone completely numb under her weight, and gesture toward the duo to let them know you’re awake. They quietly move their chairs over to you, and resume their conversation, which, as it turns out, was about whether or not to wake you.

“Okay, Hopper, point’s kind of moot now, seeing as she’s awake. Now would you tell me what you found out?” Steve whispers angrily.

Hopper is barely paying attention to Steve, looking instead at El, who’s still curled up against your side, using your stomach as a pillow while she sleeps. He’s smiling softly, and you’re again struck by how he seems to have been born to be a father of girls who need someone to make them feel safe.

He looks up to see you watching him, and smiles as if to say _“Can you blame me?”_ and you smile back, shaking your head gently.

Steve sighs in exasperation and you can tell he’s growing frustrated. “Did you find anything out, Hop?” you ask quietly, taking Steve’s hand in yours and brushing your thumb over his knuckles.

Hopper takes a deep breath, and you ready yourself for him to tell you there’s nothing he can do. “No…and yes.” He drags a hand through his hair and hesitates. “You were right that nobody was going to e eager to turn in whoever had shoved you. I rounded up the group you described, and to a tee, they all said you tripped over your own feet like you’d been doing all day. That was when I decided to turn to the faculty instead. I don’t know if you know this, but I went to Hawkins High with most of them back in my day, and more than a few of them are still just a little bit afraid of me.”

You huff a laugh at the idea of ever being afraid of Hopper, but you remember that you’ve seen him fighting demodogs and realize just how tough the chief can be. “And? Did any of them see anything?”

“Oh, they definitely saw it happen. Not that they said as much. I think the ones who were there thought they were being clever,” he says, a wicked gleam in his eye. “They made a point to say what an unfortunate incident it was, and at least three of them mentioned they saw me questioning Tommy and Carol, and remarked that Tommy was a good boy from a good family.”

You hear Steve inhale sharply, and you squeeze his hand gently. “So…you think it was Tommy. Otherwise they’d have had no reason to mention him specifically,” you deduce.

“Exactly,” Hopper says, looking at you proudly. “Problem is - ”

“Without someone to explicitly say they saw him do it, or at least saw him near enough to me to have done it, it’s all hearsay.”

“Exactly.”

“So what the fuck do we do now?” Steve asks angrily.

“Now,” Hopper says, turning to Steve, his voice dripping with warning, “you wait. You watch Tommy carefully. You don’t let her walk the halls alone for even a second.” He turns back to you. “You don’t so much as go to the bathroom unescorted. If you’re in a class that Jonathan, Nancy, Robin, or Steve aren’t in, you hold it. You wait for them. I’ve already cleared it with the principal and superintendent that any time you are excused, one of them is excused with you.”

“But if I’m being watched like a hawk, how is Tommy going to slip up and try something? Surely he won’t if I’m surrounded.”

“He won’t be able to _succeed._ But if anything I’ve heard about this kid is true, he’s going to try anyway. And this time, you’ll have witnesses.”

Steve is already nodding along like he knows exactly what Hopper means, and you suppose he does, since he used to be best friends with Tommy.

“The _second_ he tries something, you call the precinct. I’ve already told Flo any calls from the five of you are priority one.”

“Thanks, Jim,” you say quietly, squeezing his hand.

“Don’t thank me until this nightmare is over,” he says, squeezing your hand in return. His eyes settle on Eleven again, and he smiles. “You want me to get her out of your hair?” he asks.

You look down at her sleeping form, and smile at how peaceful she looks. “Nah, she’s okay where she’s at. The nurse did mention that the other bed is free though, and we got a rollaway for Steve, so if you wanted to stay, you can,” you say carefully, trying not to let too much hope bleed into your voice. You meant it when you said you were okay, and that you weren’t afraid of Tommy and Carol and the rest of the mob, but a small part of you was afraid today’s events were going to trigger some nightmares starring Billy, the likes of which you haven’t had in several weeks.

Hopper slips his hand from yours and stands up, pressing a kiss to your forehead and smoothing back your hair, like he does every time he thinks you need comforting. You lean into his touch, and your eyes flutter shut involuntarily. When you open them back up, he’s taking off his holster and toeing off his shoes. He’s staying, Steve is already pulling the rollaway right up to the side of your bed, and Eleven unconsciously snuggles deeper into your side.

With a contented sigh, you shut your eyes and let sleep overtake you.

**Author's Note:**

> Whole. Ass. Series. How did this happen????


End file.
